Where is the Radio Astronomy Centre of India located?

Correct option is D

Ans. (d) Udhagamandalam

Sol.
The Radio Astronomy Centre (RAC) of India is situated near Udhagamandalam (Ooty) in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. Operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), the center is renowned for its Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT), one of the largest fully steerable single-dish radio telescopes in the world. The ORT is a cylindrical paraboloid with a length of 530 meters and a width of 30 meters, designed to observe celestial objects at a frequency of 326.5 MHz.

The location in the Nilgiri Hills offers several advantages for radio astronomy, including minimal radio frequency interference and a stable atmospheric environment. The RAC plays a pivotal role in India's radio astronomy research, contributing to studies in solar physics, pulsars, and the interstellar medium.

Information Booster:

• The Ooty Radio Telescope was commissioned in the 1970s and has since been instrumental in various astronomical discoveries.

• The RAC hosts the Radio Physics Laboratory, a joint initiative with the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), which conducts training programs and research in radio astronomy.

• The center is actively involved in international collaborations, contributing to global radio astronomy projects and data sharing.

• The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), another significant facility operated by NCRA, is located near Pune, Maharashtra, and is one of the largest radio telescopes operating at meter wavelengths.

• The RAC and GMRT together enhance India's capabilities in radio astronomy, providing valuable data for both national and international scientific communities.